Featuring Jennifer – A Blogger’s Quilt Festival Quilter!

It’s been a while since I’ve done a featured quilter, and I decided to get back to it with Jennifer! Jennifer blogs at Archipelago Quilting, and she loves paper-piecing. Her work is beautiful, and I hope you enjoy getting to know Jennifer!

1. When did you begin quilting?

I started quilting about 18 years ago. A friend of mine was going to have a baby and I wanted to make a quilt for her new daughter. I based it on the cover of the book On the Day You Were Born by Debra Frasier. Another friend of mine, Anne, had recently retired and was so wonderful and supportive… she gave me a few tips, several ideas and confidence.

2. Why do you quilt?

For me quilting is a great way of releasing stress–when there is nothing/little in my life I can control, I always can control the fabric! I also love learning, challenging myself, creating art, and teaching.

3. What is your favorite quilting tip?

I always tell my quilting students, “If you don’t like it or the way it is turning out–change it–colors, fabrics, pattern, effects, ANYTHING. This is for you (or your loved ones)… make it the way YOU want.” I also say–especially when students complain about making a mistake and really it’s just fine, “If you’ll notice your “mistake” with the lights out, the quilt over the top of you and your eyes closed then fix it so it doesn’t bug you.”

I was lucky enough to realize that when I grow up (and retire) I wanted a job where I would teach quilting–for real and not just one evening a week. I LOVE Judy Niemeyer’s patterns and techniques. I talked my guild into contracting her into coming and teaching a few classes this coming summer. I really was pushing for a 5 day class and no one wanted that long except me (they wanted 2 different classes) and I finally realized that I could go to retreats and take 5 day classes–that I didn’t need to talk anyone into it! I went to one of her retreats in Kalispell this past summer and made this Mariner’s Compass . I entered the Mariner’s Compass in the Blogger’s Festival. I was and have been on a quilter’s high since then–I want to quilt ALL THE TIME!! I also entered the NYC Mod Quilt Guild’s DWR Challenge this summer. About the time I completed my “I Promise You… the Moon, the Stars, the Sun” and entered it, Lisa Mason saw it and encouraged me to do the Blogger’s Festival. It’s a combination of 5 of Judy Niemeyer’s patterns/quilt patterns/techniques. I am so very proud of this quilt.

5. Do you sew other things?

I occasionally make bags–like for my sister’s birthday this past weekend or pillowcases for my mom. I also live under my best friends and I will always make whatever the 9 year old boy upstairs wants (which includes hemming his pants–BUT ONLY HIS!).

6. Anything else you would like us to know about you?

I make many quilts during the year but I own only 2–one I made and one that my grandmother gave me. I love making quilts but more than making them I like to give them away–especially to organizations I want to support–like Hospice and Kodiak Kingfishers (local swim team). When I make a quilt I donate only for raffles–organizations usually make A LOT more money if they do a raffle. There are some great organizations in YOUR area that could use YOUR support. Please consider doing something like this. These are a few of my raffle quilts. Also, my Union asked me to make a quilt for the local library’s children’s section a few years ago… It was a PAINFUL learning experience–and by that I mean I learned SO MUCH! It also happens to be one of my favorite quilts–it’s called Read, Dream, Learn.

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Thank you for sharing Jennifer! I love how excited you are about quilting :)

A sunny day no longer has a connected control bar
to operate the blinds go. Nobody said it would be best to be more rustic
or natural then natural wood blinds might complement door and crown moulding, a hardwood
floor, or even wooden sculptures in the room. There will be a right hand bracket and a left hand
bracket and a left hand bracket and they are also used in kitchens
and bathrooms.

A sunny day no longer has a connected control bar
to operate the blinds go. Nobody said it would be best to be more rustic
or natural then natural wood blinds might complement door and crown moulding, a hardwood
floor, or even wooden sculptures in the room. There will be a right hand bracket and a left hand
bracket and a left hand bracket and they are also used in kitchens
and bathrooms.

Battings and labels are both needed in our quilts even if they aren’t the main attraction, but there’s so many options for both! Listen in...

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